1990s These Jeff Spicoli-esque characters in this 1997 Carl's Jr. commercial share how they invented the lava lamp while high on life Popkin

History The entire 34,000-year DUNE timeline explained in one 10-minute video Thom Dunn

books The second book in Tim Powers' 'Vickery and Castine' series is even better than the first Jason Weisberger

alternate history This video imagines Dropbox in the 1980s Mark Frauenfelder

happy mutants Hannu Rajaniemi's Summerland: a midcentury spy thriller, with the afterlife Cory Doctorow

alternate history What if Steam had been around in 1988? Mark Frauenfelder

alternate history Making a better World War II Gregory Benford

Business "Artisanal" Nintendo console cartridge hacker creates impossible alternate history games Cory Doctorow

happy mutants Judenstaat: an alternate history in which a Jewish state is created in east Germany in 1948 Cory Doctorow

happy mutants Coming in November: Pirate Utopia, a novella by Bruce Sterling with an intro by Warren Ellis Cory Doctorow

Games We might be getting that New Vegas followup, but not in the way anyone expected Grant St. Clair

books John Shirley's guide to wrecking your career in science fiction John Shirley

interactive fiction 31st annual interactive fiction competition opens Rob Beschizza

Games Why has the Metal Gear Solid film been stuck in development for 13 years? Grant St. Clair

US Park Service to restore statue of traitor Jason Weisberger

music Take a deep dive into rock history. 500 songs deep. Bob Knetzger

television The best sci-fi show you aren't watching is getting a spin-off Gail Sherman

tabloids Presidential perverts, Trump's feet, and Biden's medical crisis in last week's dubious tabloids Peter Sheridan